Closure-controlling apparatus.



No. 683,135. Patented sept. 24, 190|. J. A. MILLER.

CLOSURE CONTRULLING APPARATUS.

(Application led. June 15, 1901.)

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N0. 683,|35. Patented Sept. 24, IQI.

J. A. MILLER.

CLOSURE CONTRDLLNG APPARATUS.

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N0. 683,I35. Patented Sept. 24, 190|.

J. A. MILLER.

CLPOSURE CONTBOLLING APPARATUS.

. (Application med Juno'15.'19o1.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-*Sheet 3.

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my www? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Y JOHN A. MILLER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, AASSIGrNOR OF ONE-THIRD TOWILLIAM H. COLEMAN AND IVILLIAM M. WILSON, OF VASl-IINGTON, DIS- TRIOTOF COLUMBIA.

oLosuRE-ooNTRoLLING'APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 683,135, datedSeptember 24, 1901. Application filed Tune 15, 1901. Serial Na/1,659.(No model.)

To tZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN A. MILLER, acitizen of the United States,residing at No. 918 North Gilmore street, in the city of Baltimore, 5State of Maryland, have invented a new and usefullmprovement inClosure-Controlling Apparatus, of which the following is aspeciiication.

v My invention relates to mechanism for con- 1o trolling lire-doors,safety-gates, and similar closures.

The object of my invention is to move these closures to a closedposition by automatic means before a tire arising in the building canreach. the elevator-shaft or apartment to which they are ailixed andwhich they are designed to protect.

The invention consists, substantially, in the construction, combination,location, and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be more fullyhereinafter described, as shown in the accompanying drawings, and aspointed out in the appended claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings and to the various viewsand reference-signs appearing thereon, wherein- Figure lv is a View,partly in vertical section and partly in elevation, ofthe appara- Atusembodying my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are top views showing theapplication of my invention respectively to two and three door systemsof lire-doors, safety-gates, or similar closures. Figs. t and 5 aredet-ail views of closures embodying features of my invention. Figs. 6and 7 are detailviews of fuse-plugs. Fig. 8 represents a detail view ofa valve and mechanism for operating the same which embodies a feature ofmyinvention.

Similar reference-signs refer to similar parts 4o throughout the severaldrawings.

In the drawings I have illustrated a construction Wherein my inventionis applied to operatin g fire-doors for elevator-shafts. I desire it tobe distinctly understood, however, that my invention is of generalapplication and is adapted for use in Various other constructions-as,for instance, in operating safety-gates, doors, skylights, ttc.

In the drawings, A is a fluid-cylinder or air-tank, placed in thebasement of the building directly beneath the elevator-shaft, containingthe piston B, the rod of which extends above A and has iitted to it by abolt or rivet the lever C, operating upon the fulcru n1 D. On one end ofsaid lever is placed the weight E, which by means of graduations uponthe lever may be placed at any distance from D. The ropes or cables Gand II are attached to the other arm of the lever, and afterrespectively passing over the pnlleys l and 2 and l and 3, (l being adouble pulley,) suspended at the top of the elevatorshaft in the mannerindicated in the drawings, pass through and are fastened to the hooks 4and 5 (see Figs. 4: and 5) and at their lower extremities are attachedtothe weights G and 7.

4 and 5 operate on hinges substantially as shown in the drawings.

I and K are the fire-doors, opening and close ing upon hinges at thefloor-level and tted with the hooks S and 9, so that when the doors areopen they will be heldin place against the sides of the elevator-shaftby the interlocking of the hooks 4 and 8 and 5 and 9.

L represents a water or air pipe emptying into and supplying thepressure in A.

M represents an exhaust-pipe,which is from one and one-half to threetimes thesize of L, which may be extended to any part ofthe building andwhich is extended to each iioor of the building containing thefire-doors. M is tted throughout its entire extent with fuseplugs cc,and m, of some inflammable materialor easily-fusible combination ofmetals. Figs. 6 and. 7 represent detail views of fuseplugs adapted foruse in connection with my invention, the diameters of which are greaterthan the diameter of L. The outlets of the exhaust-pipe being firstclosed, water or air is forced into the cylinder or air-tank A throughthe pipe L until the Vpressure forces the piston B down into theposition indicated in Fig. l, thus drawing taut the ropes or cables Gand H, which support the hookse and 5 in a horizontal position andwhich, in conjunction with the hooks 8 and 9, hold the fire-doors I andK open and against the sides of the elewill before it can reach theelevator-shaft encounter the exhaust-pipe M and ignite or blow out oneor more of the said fuse-plugs. The burningorblowingoutof thefuse-plugsopens thedrainage-pipe and releases the `pressure upon the piston B. Theweight E reverses the lever C, thus slackening the ropes or cables G andII. The weights 6 and 7 take up this slaclqcausing the hooks 4 and 5 todrop,re leasing the contact between -hooks4 and 8 and 5 and 9 andremoving the support from the doors I and K, which, owing to theirposition, as illustrated in Figs. l, 4, and 5, must close, thus cuttingoff all draft from the elevatorshaft and preventingT the fire fromascending said elevator-shaft. If the construction of the elevator-shaftis such that gravity will not be sufticient to close the doors when theand is extended outside the elevator-shaft to each door ofthe building.A pull atthe rope N releases the valve P and causes the same resultssubstantially as the burning out of a fuse-plug. Nothing is hereinclaimed for the valve and operating mechanism except in the use to whichthey are applied.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of a fuse-plug which may be used inconnection with my invention.

T represents the openings in the fuse-plug, which permit the ilow offluid or escape of air.

U represents a washer which preventsthe water or air from reaching theopening.

V is a pin driven through the plug in the manner indicated, which,besides supporting the washer in position, is made of inflammablematerial or a combination of easily-fusible metals. When Vis burned outor melted, the pressure of the uid or air will throw out the Washer andpermit the fluid or air t0 escape through T, as and for the purposesabove set forth. Fig. '7 represents a fuse-plug similar in every respectto the one just described, with the exception that the pressure of thefluid or air is augmented by the spring NV, iitted beneath the washer ina compressed position. Both of the above-described fuseplugs areintended to be screwed into the exhaust-pipe in the manner indicated inthe drawings.

Many variations and changes inthe arrangement, location, and detail ofconstruction of parts may be made by any person skilled inthe artwithout departingfrom the spirit of my invention. I do not desire,therefore, to be understood as limiting myself to the exact detailsshown; but,

Having now -fully ascertained the object` and nature of my invention,its principles of operation, and a form of mechanism embodying the same,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is-

1. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of closures, afluid-cylinder with piston, leverand fulcrum attachment substantiall yas described, connections `by rope or cable between one arm of the leverand each ot' the closures, a supply-pipe and an exhaustpipe for saidcylinder or air-tank said eX- haust-pipe being iitted with fuse-plugs,and a system of weights as and for the purposes above set forth.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of closures, meansfor releasing and maintaining the same in position, comprising afluid-cylinder with piston, lever `and fulcrum attachment, rope or cableconnections between one arm of said lever and each of the closures, asupply and an exhaustlpipe for said cylinder, a valve on saidexhaust-pipe which may be opened by hand, and connections between saidvalve and each floor of the building as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, aseries of closures, afluid-cylinder provided with piston, lever and fulcrum attachment,connections between one arm of the lever and each of the closureswhereby when the pressure in said tank or cylinder is reduced saidclosures are simultaneously moved to a closed position as and for thepurposesl above set forth.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of closures, afluid-cylinderprovided with a piston to which is attached one arm of alever operating on a fulcrum and to the other arm of which lever isfitted a weight, means for normally maintaining said leverat one limitof its stroke, connections between the piston-arm of said lever and eachof said closures whereby they are maintained in open position when saidlever is in its normal position, and means for permitting said lever tomove to the other limit of its stroke thereby releasing said closures asand forthe purposes set forth.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of closures, afluid-cylinderprovided with a piston which is attached to one arm of alever operating on a fulcrum to the other arm of which lever is attacheda weight, said piston being attached to the arm of the lever `in such away as to control it, connections between the piston-arm of said leverand each of the closures, devices for forcing air or fluid into saidcylinder to maintain said lever at that limit of its travel which holdsthe closures open and devices for opening `the exhaust-pipe of saidvHuid-cylinder, whereby said lever is permitted to move to the otherlimit of its travel thereby releasing said connections and permittingsaid closures to move `to a closed position as and for the purposes setforth.

6. In a tire-door apparatus for elevator- Ido Ioj

shafts, a series of closures arranged at difother limit of its travelthus opening said oloferent landings, a Huid-cylinder with piston snresas and for the purpose set forth. I0 and lever attachment substantiallyas de- In witness whereof I have hereunto set my scribed, connectionsbetween the lever athand this 12th day of June, 1901.

5 tachment and each of the closures, hydraulic JOHN A. MILLER.

or pneumatic means for normally maintain- In presence ofing the lever atone limit of its travel and FRANK J. ROWELL, automatic means for movingsaid lever to the W. J. SHEETZ.

